gmo crops, glyphosate and the deterioration of health in the usa
DESCRIPTION
This presentation was created from the Google Hangout panel on November 14, 2014 available on YouTube; http://youtu.be/RCGs5JHdfSo Through an online video panel discussion, Dr. Nancy Swanson explains the per review paper she co-wrote published in the November issue of the Organic Systems Journal entitled, "GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS, GLYPHOSATE AND THE DETERIORATION OF HEALTH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Nancy L. Swanson 1, Andre Leu 2*, Jon Abrahamson 3 and Bradley Wallet 4" Read Paper: http://www.organic-systems.org/journal/92/abstracts/Swanson-et-al.htmlTRANSCRIPT
Genetically Engineered Crops, Glyphosate and the Deterioration of
Health in the United States
Nancy Swanson
What
Obtain time-trend data on prevalence of GE cropsObtain time-trend data on glyphosate applications to those crops
Obtain epidemiological data on incidence & prevalence of and deaths due to diseases
Compare & Correlate
Why 25% of US population suffers from multiple disease Chronic disease is shifting to younger populations >20% of boys in US diagnosed with ADHD 1 in 50 children in US have autism (1 in 3300 pre-1990) Leading causes of premature death (UW)
Rank 1990 2010Alzheimer's 32 9Diabetes 15 7Kidney disease 21 16
Something is happening!
What has changed?Exponential increase in GE crops since 1995
Genetic Modification Insect resistant (Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt) Herbicide tolerant (Agrobacterium tumefaciens, RR)
Promoter: Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV) Reproduces and mutates quickly (horiz. gene
transfer?) Closely resembles HIV & hepatitis
What has changed?
Glyphosate use has exponentially increased Roundup Ready GE crops Crop desiccant/ripener Urban and industrial weed control
We are exposed to glyphosate through many channels
Glyphosate and its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) have been detected in air [1], rain [2], groundwater [3], surface water [4], soil [5] and sea water [6].
[1] Majewski et al., 2014, Chang et al., 2011[2] Scribner et al., 2007, Majewski, 2014[3] Scribner, 2007[4] Chang, 2011; Scribner, 2007; Coupe et al., 2012[5] Scribner, 2007[6] Mercurio et al., 2014
HOW: Literature Review Yields:
HOW: Literature Review Yields: Glyphosate DOES bio-accumulate:
Glyphosate residues in the tissues of the kidney, liver, lung, spleen, muscles and intestines were comparable to that found in the urine. Glyphosate is not being passed through the urine without affecting the organism. [1]
Glyphosate has been found in multiple tissues, including lungs, liver, kidney, brain, gut wall and heart, in malformed one-day-old piglets [2]
Studies on the blackworm species, Lumbriculus variegatus have shown bioaccumulation of glyphosate [3].
[1] Kruger et al., 2014. Detection of glyphosate residues in animals and humans. Journal of Environmental and Analytical Toxicology, 4(2): 210-15.[2] Kruger et al., 2014, Detection of glyphosate in malformed piglets. J Environ Anal Toxicol, 4: 5.[3] Contardo-Jara et al., 2009, Bioaccumulation of glyphosate and its formulation Roundup Ultra in Lumbriculus variegatus and its e ects on biotransformation and antioxidant ffenzymes. Environ Pollut, 157: 5763.
HOW: Literature Review Yields:
•HOW: Literature Review Yields:
• Glyphosate is an endocrine disruptor• Glyphphosate kills beneficial gut bacteria• Glyphosate causes cell-cycle dysfunction that leads to development of cancer
• Glyphosate is toxic to the liver and kidneys
• Glyphosate is toxic to the reproductive system
• Glyphosate causes oxidative stress resulting in changes to cell functions, necrosis in cells and neurotoxic effects in the brain
Endocrine System
• Hypothalmus (nervous system, growth hormones, stimulates pituitary)
• Pituitary (stimulates thyroid, mammary, testes/ovary)
• Pineal (regulates sleep/wake cycle)
• Thyroid (regulates metabolism, calcium uptake)
• Thymus (fetal & childhood development)
• Adrenal (breakdown of proteins and lipids to produce glucose; reduce inflammation & immune response; regulate mineral uptake)
• Pancreas (regulates glucose & insulin)
• Testes/ovaries (regulates reproduction)
HOW: Look for increase in disease associated with:
Endocrine Disruption Central Nervous System Birth Defects Intestinal disorders
Diabetes Kidney disease
Hypertension Obesity
Hormonal disorders Autoimmune disease
Infertility, low birth weight, birth defects Cancer (breast, prostate, liver, kidney, bladder, brain, thyroid,
thymus, pancreas, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) Neurological disorders
How
Data on corn, soy and cotton obtained from USDA: National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA:NASS)
Data on disease epidemiology obtained from Centers for Disease Control (CDC), USDE Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (USDE:IDEA), and National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (NCI:SEER)
Plot data & calculate correlation coefficients
GE Crops
Glyphosate
The Pearson correlation coefficient
⧫ R = 1 perfect correlation ex. R >= 0.98 good for calibrating scientific equip. R >= 0.80 good in social sciences
⧫ R2*100: percent of variation of the y-variable that can be attributed to the difference in the x-variable
ex. R = 0.98, 96% of the variation in y is accounted for (perhaps caused) by variation in x.
⧫ p: probability that any observed relationship between two variables could have happened by chance.
ex. p = .05 or 5%, findings are significant. p = .01 or 1%, findings highly significant
Neurological Disorders
Autism
Autism: 6-year-old
Senile Dementia
Alzheimer's Disease
Parkinson's Disease
Cancers
Thyroid Cancer
Urinary/Bladder Cancer
Kidney/Renal Cancer
Liver Cancer
Hypertension & Stroke
Hypertension
Stroke
Metabolic Disorders
Lipoprotein Metabolism Disorder
Obesity
Diabetes Incidence
Diabetes Prevalence
US Sugar Consumption
Acute Kidney Injury
Acute Kidney Failure
End Stage Renal Disease
Intestinal & Infectious
Intestinal Infection
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Viral Hepatitis C
Birth Defects
Summary Table
What does it mean?
CoincidenceDirect cause and effect relationshipRelationship caused by a third variableComplex interaction of several variables